Drone Videography During Different Weather Conditions

So let’s paint a scenario for you: your drone is up and ready to go, and you’ve got your shot list for your drone videography planned out. So you step outside, and you’re immediately hit by a face full of wind and rain.

So you consider the situation. Do you still continue with your drone videography, or do you wait it out? After all, a good rain shot can make a really great addition to your filming. We’re just going to stop you right there before you take one step outside.

As much of possible, you should not fly during rainy weather conditions, as this can severely damage your drone. If you’re wondering which weather conditions are safe to fly your drone in, here is a simple rundown on different conditions and whether or not it’s safe to film your drone videography in these.

Sunny

The sunny weather is always the ideal condition to fly your drone in. There’s no danger of exposing your drone to the wet weather, and the natural light would be great for your shots. Of course, take the considerations that you typically should when shooting your drone videography. Use the natural light to your advantage, and remember that the sun will cause shadows, especially from an aerial view.

Cloudy

Cloudiness is not as ideal as a sunny day, but if you play your cards right, you can make it work. The bigger clouds can make it hard for you to get natural light, but you can actually use the clouds to your advantage. They can create a very interesting contrast, and provide a sense of depth and complexity to your shots. But again, because of the lack of natural light, you might have difficulty getting a clear shot. Plan your shots accordingly.

Overcast

It gets more difficult to get good shots the cloudier it gets. However, if you can find some slivers of light, you can create a very soft lighting effect in your shots that look amazing.

Windy

As much as possible, you don’t want to fly in overly windy weather. If the winds are strong, your drone will get swept along with the wind, and you might crash it. It’s also very difficult to get good footage on a windy day, so overall, it’s not worth it.

Rainy/Cold Weather

Like windy days, never film your drone videography during weather conditions that are rainy, damp, or cold. The wet can damage your drone, especially if it gets into the inner mechanisms of the drone. Colder weather should also be avoided, even if there’s sunlight out because the inner workings of your drone can get frozen when flying in cold weather.